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Sunday, January 17, 2016

01172016 Baptism of Jesus Christ Emmanuel Lutheran Goodland KS

January 17, 2016Christ was Baptized for His
Mission

In our Lutheranism 101 class that meets Tuesday nights, we
have a good time laughing and joking, even sometimes at my own expense, but
that is what makes it fun to laugh with others.
There are times when we come to a concept that is not only important,
but has a clear connection with not only each of the members of the class, but
with all of us Children of God. For some
of the members of the class, in a fun and playful way, I help them to remember
with events from their lives or the lives of their kids. Just as I sometimes do in the sermon with
Sarah, my daughter and sharing her antics at home or school, I playfully and
jokingly help members of the class connect their daily life with their faith
using words like ‘relationship’ or faith is like a muscle.

This morning is no different, I won’t call names, nor will I
call out anybody, because, my intent isn’t to ‘single anybody out’ nor do I
want anyone to feel uncomfortable. But
here before us this morning and every Sunday is a piece of church furniture
that is a connection of and for each of us with Jesus Christ.

Let’s think for a moment, in the last four weeks we have
celebrated the Birth of Jesus Christ in the stable in Bethlehem, heard clearly
that Jesus came to serve and last week understand that Who the wise men found
in the Manger was “The Purpose”, the Savior of the World, God Who became
Man. And this week we come not to a
stable, not following a star, but today we gather at the river.

As we sang in our opening hymn, today we gather at the
river. We gather where our Lord and
Savior was baptized on the Jordan River.
When I was in Israel, there is a tourist place where people can gather
and be baptized, reminded of their baptism or remember what God has done
through baptism. Historically the place
is not accurately known, but to pause where the Sea of Galilee becomes the
Jordan River as it flows to the Dead Sea is a very powerful place to be
reminded of the connection with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. When you walked in this morning, on the new
television screens in the Narthex and on the Sun Deck, I included pictures of
my trip to Israel and when I remembered my baptism beside the Jordan
River. So to for each of us today, as we
gather here at Emmanuel, we gather to remember that when Christ was Baptized,
Christ was Baptized for His Mission.

You see the Mission of Jesus Christ was simple. Jesus Christ came out of His great love for
all of mankind to die on the Cross of Calvary so we might have eternal
life. Jesus Christ mission was to come in
order that we might have life, eternal life and have it abundantly. And this is the promise that God makes and
fulfills for each and every one of us when we believe that Jesus Christ dies
for you and for me.

No matter if you are Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist,
Baptist, E-Free, Evangelical or even Lutheran, the tenet of faith we share is
that Jesus Christ was born, lived on this earth and died in order to offer us
eternal life. This is what we share as a
common core faith. Jesus Christ mission
was for all of mankind to be saved.
Jesus Christ was baptized in the Jordan River to fulfill righteousness.

As we have heard from our Gospel reading, John the Baptist,
didn’t feel qualified to baptize Jesus.
But Jesus Christ knew John had to Baptize Him in order to fulfill God’s
plan of salvation. The plan was clear,
be born, escape to Egypt, return to Nazereth and show up on the Jordan River
and have John the Baptist, His own cousin Baptize Jesus. But that wasn’t the end, it was just the beginning. This was the conclusion of Jesus anonymity
here on earth. From that moment on,
Jesus was clearly, firmly and emphatically committed to the mission of going to
the Cross of Calvary.

But of what importance is that for us today here in Western Kansas?
Why should that matter, pouring of
simple water over the head of a Man Who was born in a stable in Bethlehem? Simply it should matter because with that
simple act of Water intimately connected with Word, God in Human form stood
among the people gathered at the Jordan and saw with their own eyes, the Holy
Spirit descend upon Jesus head and heard clearly God the Father’s voice that
said, “This is my beloved Son, with Him I am well pleased.” This was the clearest demonstration, not only
of the Trinity, but each person, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Clearly God had a plan and God’s seal of
approval was stamped on Jesus Baptism in the Jordan River in order to fulfill
all righteousness.

This week has been extremely hard for our family, Michele,
Sarah and I. One of our close family friends
walked a sorrowful and painful path that touches Michele, Sarah and I very
deeply and closely. They lost via
miscarriage their son in the last week.
For some of you sitting here in the church today, you have also walked
this path of loss. It is not easy and
each of our journeys is painful, but also unique. Michele and I have experienced this same loss,
but we were unable to have the same closure as our friends. Yet, what helped Michele and I through this
is that in spite of the loss of life, we have faith in a God Who loves us
unconditionally and walked on this earth and was baptized in the Jordan River
in order to fulfill all righteousness.
All of this is in order for all of mankind, born, stillborn and all of
life no matter the size to be enfolded and personally touched by the love of
God. So with all the saints we lay claim
to God’s love today in our remembering today Jesus Christ embarking today with
His Baptism on His mission in order to go to the Cross of Calvary so that all
of mankind might have eternal life, including you and me.

May each of us every day when we wash our face, hear water
running to irrigate our crops or even when we look into the eyes of fellow
parishoners, our loved ones, whether child, spouse, parents, in pictures or in
person, see Jesus Christ and His love for each of us. For when we see Jesus Christ and look with
eyes of faith we understand our encounter is with our Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ. Jesus Christ came to fulfill all
righteousness in His Baptism and His mission to the Cross of Calvary for you
and for me out of His great love for all of mankind, but especially including
each and every one of us gathered here this morning who remember our Baptism
into Jesus Christ life, death, but especially His resurrection. AMEN.